From Deep Within
by oOGodsChildOo
Summary: Feelings surface, and feelings are suppressed. Unfamiliar faces arise, and there will be tension in the air. Male competition anyone? Includes wacky adventures, and a nerve-racking one awaits. This story takes place 2 years after the 4th Shinobi World War. It'll have some horror in it later on in the future. Team 7. Sasusaku
1. Chapter 1: Reminiscing

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto (If I did Sasusaku would have happened in part 1 LOL). Naruto is own by, and was created by Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warning: **Spoilers Ahead

* * *

**From Deep Within**

**Chapter 1**: _**Reminiscing**_

_-Huff…Huff…..Huff-_

_SCREEEECHHH! CRACKLING!_

"_Raion, straight ahead of you are exactly 7 of those rogue-nin, at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, there's exactly 5 of 'em. A-Class. None of them is the person we are looking for. Expect traps in your vicinity. This is nothing ya can't handle….right?_"

_SCREEECH!_ _Silence. _

The voice said the last part in a mocking tone.

Chakra hidden, masked-faced, crouching on a tree branch in his Anbu attire, was Sasuke. An arm on each raised thigh, head bowed, he turned them over. Glaring at his gloved hands held out in front of him with such fierceness with his Sharingan activated eyes, he finally balled them into fists after a few seconds, clenching his teeth and closing his eyes tightly shut when doing so. He was seething with anger which radiated off of his body. If his anger were chakra, he'll easily be located by his targets because of its intensity, and obviousness. He never did get along with his fellow Anbu "comrades". His body shook in response to his fury, but then, his mind wandered to a certain team.

* * *

_"Baaaaka, baaaaka, bakabakabaka!"_

_"Why you-"_

_"Oh, cut it out you two!" Said Sakura who was extremely annoyed by their quarrel._

_"But Sakura-chaaan! He started it first!" Naruto childishly retorted, pointing at the boy glaring daggers at him._

_"No I didn't!" Sasuke furiously spat. At any moment it looked as if he could murder his blonde teammate, but actually succeed this time._

_-Sigh- "I don't CARE who started what first! I just got back from a long, tiresome, did I mention long, mission, and this is what I get?!" As Sakura was saying all of this, she placed the back hand side of her right hand to her forehead in a dramatic way, slowly walking to the side of the railing Sai was leaning on (not without stumbling to exaggerate further), and slid down the railing to a sitting position, legs stretched out, hand still on forehead._

_"It was only a 3 day mission Sakura, and it was only 1 village away. Perhaps you are getting lazier. Therefore, that's why this mission took such a toll on you. Now that I think about it, possibly you have taken on the habits of Choj-" _

_Quickly getting up on her feet, she hit the owner of the voice on the head before he could finish, "SHUT UP SAI!"_

_"GAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

_"Keep laughing Naruto and I'll give you something to LAUGH ABOUT!"_

_"EEEP!" Naruto quickly hid behind Sasuke who just rolled his eyes at the boy's antics._

_"Oh, OH!" Naruto reappeared from behind Sasuke, and pulled out a coupon wearing the hugest grin, "Ichiraku is having a special event sale! All you can eat, 50% off! Oh yeah, buddy! Heeheehee!"_

_Naruto started spinning in circles holding the coupon in front of him, smiling like an idiot._

_"I'll pass," Sasuke said as he started to walk in the direction of the training grounds._

_Immediately Naruto stopped spinning to gawk at him, "EEEHHH?! WHY?! THIS IS LIKE A ONE IN A LIFE TIME EVENT!"_

_Sasuke stopped, and looked over his shoulder at him, "No one's stopping you from going, and I don't care."_

_"Aww come on Sasuke-kun! It'll be just like old times! Plus, this IS a pre-tty good deal! Naruto will be able to easily pay for everyone's meal!" Sakura giggled._

_"YEAH! Wait, WHAT?!" _

_Sasuke shifted his gaze to Sakura. Still giggling, she stuck her tongue out at Naruto who looked away pouting, scrunching his shoulders, and then folding his arms, brooding. Sai, who was still rubbing his head, gave Naruto a small smile who in turn, glared at him, and turned his head upwards, still pouting, and refusing to look at any of his teammates. Sakura then turned to look back at Sasuke, smiling tenderly._

_"What do you say?" She asked hopefully._

_He turned his head back forward, and closed his eyes in decision._

"…_..….I'm not going to stay there the entire time." He said this in a way to let them all know he was dead serious._

_But everyone knew he'd stay the entire time. They were the only ones who kept him good company after all._

* * *

Sasuke stopped shaking. He released his hands from the tight fists they were originally in, unclenched his teeth, and slowly, opening his eyes, he started to relax. His Sharingan activated eyes softened, and he raised up his head, allowing it to go fully backwards in the process, as he stared up at the starry sky.

_This isn't so bad after all_, he thought. _One day at a time. _

_Click. _

"Roger." He removed his hand from the button attached to Velcro around his neck, which connected to the earpiece placed in his left ear.

Sasuke rose up in a standing position and began to focus on his targets.

Since the Land of Water is known for its mist, it'll be a lot easier to get the job done, especially since it's a stealth mission, and then he'll be able to go home soon.

_Home..._He thought in wander.

Realizing where he was, he quickly snapped out of his thoughts, and jumped forward through the moss covered tree branches.

_Swoosh...Swoosh...Swoosh...Swoo-_

Before Sasuke jumped to the next tree branch, left leg raised up, right leg used to push forward, he immediately diverted the force being used to cause himself to bring his body forward in a downward, dropping motion. His right arm was stretched out so he could grab onto the branch he was originally on, swinging himself backwards so that he landed on the same branch in a crouched position.

_Thought so, _he mused as he analyzed the scene in front of him, and beneath him.

Hidden in the mist were many thin trip wires scattered high and low, attached to countless of explosive tags placed on the many trees, and its branches. It was as if they were all clumsily placed.

_Seems like someone was in a hurry_. He was amused by their efforts.

If someone wasn't as careful, they would've been a goner by now. Thankfully for his keen instincts, which he smugly praised himself for, he was able to avoid such as fate. Not to mention the explosive tags had faint traces of chakra, which he easily sensed.

_-Sigh-_ "This is going to be a pain. If I can't proceed from the ground and through the trees, I'll just have to go by air," he muttered.

Sasuke jumped up into the air from the tree branch he was on, raised up his black glove on his right hand so that only his bare palm was shown, bringing his mouth to it.

_Crunch. _

_Swooshswooshswoosh. Bird, Hare, Ram._

After the quick hand signs, he then placed his left hand on top of his right hand, and lowered them in front of him about a foot away from his spread out feet.

"Summoning jutsu!"

"_KEEEEEEEEEE-ARR!"_

Out of smoke appeared a great brown hawk with vibrant orange eyes. Tracing around its eyes was a thick black color. It reminds you of a face painting. Surrounding the outside of its eyes was a greyish color which went as far as its beak, and close to the top of its head. Surrounding t_hat,_ was dark brown markings. It was similar to eyebrows, and the markings came in a downwards motion between the eyes, and caused two dark marks on the hawk's gold beak. It was about 16 feet in height, and 33 feet in length including the length of its wings. This hawk was used when fighting Danzo.

He quickly hid his chakra again.

_Not causing attention to myself is unavoidable. Even if I were to not use a summoning, I would've still had to use chakra to avoid any damage when passing through those traps. The only way I could of escaped injury was to use Susanoo, but I don't want to waste that on weaklings. Or, I would've had to use a summoning anyways to get away from the explosions. They would know that someone's following them regardless of what happened..._Sasuke pondered irritably, _I guess I have no choice but to throw myself out there._

* * *

"BWAHAHAHA!" A hoarse voice erupted.

"And you should've seen him. He just took off running! AHAHA! I didn't even have to do anything! _ZWOOP!_" The bulkiest man made a swiping motion against his hands, "And there he went!"

"Tsk, tsk. That's Katsuo for you," a third voice said. A thinner, shorter man appeared from behind a tree after using it as a toilet.

"Heheh, what do you expect? I'm the best! Anyway, are we almost ready? Man Daichi...that thing over there," he pointed to a chest that was a dazzling ruby color that glistened in the moonlight, and had a gold clasp with a keyhole in the middle, "Weighs a ton. I just want to get this over with, my back's killing me." He was rubbing on a sore area.

"Quick your complaining you big baby," Daichi replied back, "When the coast is clear, the boss will tell us what to do nex**-**Well speak of the devil, here he comes."

A tall, medium built figure appeared from the forest with 12 other men. His face was stern, and covered with scars, eyes hard, and cold. His presence meant business. Hair reaching his neck neatly, he also had a beard that appeared to be well groomed. All 17 men were in casual, civilian wear. Scanning the 5 men that were left at camp, he finally spoke in a calm, authoritative voice.

"We're leaving. Someone's on to us."

"Well why don't we give a nice greeting?" Said Katsuo as he raised up a fist in front of him.

"No, we'll only waste more time. I can only imagine how impatient my lord is getting with us," he responded harshly. "Get rid of that fire, and make sure you do not leave any trace of warmth so that whoever's following us will not use it as evidence to know that we were here recently. Although, I doubt they'll survive considering how well our traps were laid," he said this pompously and gave a menacing smirk, "Come, let us go."

Daichi used a water style jutsu to thoroughly burn out the fire. He made sure nothing gave them away.

The men advanced east.

* * *

_They're on the move, I'm not letting them off that easily._

"Faster, to the right!" Sasuke ordered.

The hawk followed his command, and zoomed off in that direction with a great roar of flapping wings.

They neared the group of men, and Sasuke positioned his body ready.

As the hawk flew closer, and closer, at last, they were right above them. Sasuke took his chance, jumping off, and his hawk summon puffed into smoke.

Sasuke never tore his eyes away from the targets below. Smirking, he knew just the jutsu to give them as he was making the hand signs.

_Swooshswooshswoosh!_

_Katon Hosenka no Jutsu!_

_SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH!_

One after the other, came balls of fire shooting out of his mouth at rapid speed.

* * *

_-Huff-_ "Going through all of this trouble all because of that old fart, and hag," complained Katsuo.

"Watch it," replied the authoritative voice, "Besides, they're the ones who pay us loads of mone-GAH!"

_BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!_

_"AHHHHH!"_

_"GAAAAHHHH!_

_"ARRGGGHHHHHH!"_

_"AIIIIIIEEEEEE!"_

The forest floor was filled with agonizing screams.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" a frantic hoarse voice shouted.

"I DON'T KNOW! WHERE'S THE CHEST?!" Replied the once calm, confident voice, "JUST GET TO THE CHEST! LEAVE THE OTHERS! GET TO THE CHEST!"

* * *

Sasuke effortlessly landed on the ground out of view, and quickly hid behind a tree, masking his chakra once again. He peeked from behind the tree trunk.

_That was too easy, and THEY'RE A-Class? Eight down, nine to go. Hmph. They'll never be able to find me. With this mist, I'm basically untouchable,_ he smugly thought.

He watched the scene in front of him. The 8 men that were engulfed in flames wailed about and were running in all direction like madmen. Sasuke made sure he aimed each fireball at the men on the defensive line, and especially at the bigger one carrying that weird looking chest. That's what he liked about this jutsu. He could control the fireballs in any direction he chose.

Eight of the other men, ignoring their flailing comrades were able to locate the chest, and surrounded it, on guard.

_Eight...Where's the other-!_

_SLING, CHOP!_

Sasuke ducked just in time before a machete dug into the tree trunk where his head was originally at, and he roundhouse kicked what he assumed to be a person, but instead, the air.

_SWOOSH, SMACK!_

He blocked the invisible body part with his left arm.

_SWOOSHSWOOSHSWOOSH SMACK!_

"UGH!" Sasuke was kicked against a tree.

_Dammit! I can't see a damn thing! Not even with my Sharingan! Not at this level. He's using that same technique Zabuza used against Kakashi! His chakra is mixed with the mist, causing the mist to be the same color as his chakra! Therefore, my Sharingan as of right now cannot tell the difference, and make out an individual body. If only I had..._He seethed.

* * *

_"Your eyes will be sealed."_

_"WHAT?!"_

_"Calm down Sasuke. Only your Eternal Mangekyo Sharigan will be sealed," replied back the calm voice._

_"Is that supposed to make me feel better?!" _

_Sasuke was enraged. He felt like he could Amaterasu his old sensei at any moment._

_-Sigh- "I know you're angry Sasuke-"_

_"I'M PISSED!"_

_"Ah, yes. I know you're angry Sasuke," he repeated, "But you and I both know that you won't get off so freely after all that's happened. Just be happy your Sharingan won't be sealed COMPLETELY. Now if you would excuse me, I have some Hokage business to attend to."_

_Kakashi walked away from Sasuke's bedside and towards the door, opening it before walking out. _

_"This is some bullsh-!" Sasuke abruptly stopped when he caught a glimpse of a familiar face outside of the hallway._

_The door closed._

* * *

**Author's Note:** What do you guys think? I've never been a story writer. I'm an essay type of person, but ask me to write a story? I'll look at you crazily LOL. In my opinion I've never been good at writing stories so you'll probably find structural mistakes. The story might seem a little choppy as well. I may have grammar errors also (Grammar was never my thing lol). **I don't like to rush things when it comes to Sasuke and Sakura getting into a relationship, but there will be a lot of interaction. If they hook up too quickly, I'll become bored with them (I lose interest in things quickly). **ENJOY! When giving feedback, please be respectful...or else.

**Raion = Lion (because Sasuke is a Leo and I couldn't think of a creative codename. I wanted to call him "hawk", but that meant calling him "taka" -_-)**


	2. Chapter 2: Who's Boss?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Naruto is own by, and was created by Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warning: **Blood, and spoilers ahead!

* * *

**From Deep Within**

**Chapter 2: **_**Who's Boss?**_

Recalling the memory, Sasuke quickly slid up against the tree to a standing position, eyes searching hastily for the attacker.

Trying to locate objects in the mist proved to be nearly impossible. You couldn't see anything with bare eyes alone. The mist is _so_ thick, if you were to put a hand in front of you, it would vanish.

Sasuke's body took on a ghostly appearance. It was as if he was missing both of his arms and legs, and his torso, leaving a scarcely visible head.

Sasuke felt useless as of right now.

Taking in a deep breath, Sasuke tried to regain his composure. He slowly closed his eyes.

_"I believe...even if-even if you didn't have your Sharingan, you'll still be a great fighter regardless. Your eyes...do not-your eyes do not define you."_

At remembrance, Sasuke suddenly snapped his eyes open, now filled with burning determination.

Once more he scanned his surroundings, unhurriedly. He then closed his eyes for a second time, but this time, he focused his attention on his other functional senses that could be used to his benefit.

The sense of _touch_. A body always emits energy, therefore he'll be able to know if someone's creeping up on him. Feeling a brush of cold air is another sign. That meant the target is in motion.

The sense of _hearing_. Even the faintest of noise he will be able to pick up on thanks to his profound sense of perceiving sound, which he had honed throughout the years because of battle experience. When the enemy goes for an attack, he'll be able to know which direction the attack is coming from based off of the sound waves in the air. Then, he'll know what appropriate action to take in response.

Sasuke kept his eyes close.

_Guess this will be 'battle without sight',_ he thought coolly.

_Crunch._

_Hu-! From behind! _He reacted immediately, using the tree trunk he was against as support as he gripped it with both hands vertically away from each other, left hand a few inches down from his right hand. Stepping left and pushing forward, hands still in position, he then raised himself up and swung in the left direction, kicking the perpetrator who was sneaking up from behind the tree he was originally leaned up against.

The attacker was hurled through a different tree straight across from where he was once standing.

"GAAAH!"

"Heh," Sasuke said in triumph, smirking behind his mask.

* * *

"Did you here that?! That sounded just like the boss just now! I think he's in trouble, we have to help him!" A voice cried out.

"No! Did you hear what he said back there?" Responded another, "We have to do as he says, and guard this chest with our lives!"

"Bu-" The voice started before getting cut off.

"Shut it Daichi!" The hoarse voiced man barked, "He can take care of himself. He have always walked away from a battle victoriously. Hell, even his _name _means 'victory'. He'll handle whoever that is."

The owner of the hoarse voice was a rough looking man, no more than 5 feet, 10 inches tall. He was medium built, and had a shaved head with the tattoo of a green dragon. The dragon's head was located on top of the man's own head, and the dragon's body was wavering downward down the back of his neck, and disappeared into his shirt.

Glancing over his left shoulder to look at the chest, he contemplated.

_This chest, I bet it's worth a fortune! I could only imagine what's inside! I wander..._He snickered.

He returned his attention back in front of him.

"Or," he glimpsed at the person straight behind him, "We could take it and run," smirking mischievously.

Daichi's head snapped back so fast meeting his gaze, it's surprising his neck didn't break. "You're crazy, Shin!" He yelled.

"Hey," Shin turned his attention back in front of him again, and casually shrugged, "It's worth a shot. What do you think, Naoki?"

The person on the furthest right of him chuckled.

"I don't really care what we do to be honest. Either way, as long I get paid, I don't care. It's not like I like that conceited, petty rat anyways, strutting around like he owns the damn place. Don't like him. Never did, and never will," the man responded.

"Well then, except for Daichi, I assume the rest of you probably feel the same way...right?" Asked Shin as he fully turned around, and eyed the chest in the middle of the eight men who formed a circle around it.

The five other men shared glances with one another with uncertainty, when finally, after coming to a silent agreement with one another, they started wickedly grinning.

"That settles it then," Shin said cheerfully, "We should leave now before anyone else shows up. It seems our _boss _is catching whoever it is attention at the moment. Let's keep it that way. Ken, carry the chest."

A fairly large muscular man, but not as large Katsuo, heaved up the chest onto his left shoulder.

"Daichi, stay here if you want. Let's go, men!" Shin yelled.

They swiftly took off running across a creek nearby, proceeding east, the original direction they were going before they were forced to halt by their previous unknown pursuer.

Standing there like a lost, frightened puppy, Daichi's legs started trembling.

_Well I if stay here_, he contemplated, A_nd when the boss finds out the chest is gone, _he continued_, He'll kill ME!_

Daichi's legs stopped trembling, and he turned in the direction the men traveled off to, following behind after them.

* * *

Sasuke watched as the attacker's body materialized, slowly getting up, swiping the debris off of himself in the process.

Completely on his feet now, the man glowered at Sasuke, "Why you-!" Before finishing his insult, he looked down at his clothes.

They were tattered, caused by the ragged pieces of wood soaring in all directions from his impact. Blood stained the sleeves of his shirt, produced by cuts running up along his arms. His pants were in the same condition.

He brought his hands up to his hair. His usually well kept, neat hair, was untidy. It was as if his hair had its own miniature tornado come through.

He rummaged a hand through it, pulled out a wood chip, and brought it extremely close in front of his face, scrutinizing it, eyes crossing in the process.

_Is this guy serious?_ Sasuke thought, half peeved, and half entertained.

"You..." The man started to shake, "You...you-you-YOU DISGUSTING VERMIN!" He roared as he childishly threw the wood chip on the mutilated wooded, grassy ground.

"How DARE YOU! YOU REVOLTING, REPULSIVE, HORRIBLE, FILTHY-"

Sasuke started ignoring him.

"-APPALLING, NAUSEATING-"

_I'm not going to deal with this today, _an irritated Sasuke thought.

He put his right hand on his left forearm.

_CRACKLING! SSHHZZZZZZZ!_

_Chidori!_ Sasuke smacked his left hand, engulfed with electricity, onto the ground.

The electricity surged into the direction of the raging man.

"-DREADFUL, UGLY, ASS-!" The man finished before realizing what was happening.

One hand holding a sign held out in front of him, and the other hand holding a sign held high into the air, he prepared to evade.

_Kirigakure no Jutsu!_

His body started disintegrating.

Once again the man was nowhere to be seen.

_Tsk. NOW where did he go? _Sasuke agitatedly pondered. _He can't just sit STILL._

Sasuke closed his eyes again, concentrating.

_"Suiton Suikoda no Jutsu!"_

_ROOOOAAAAR!_

_From the right_! Opening his eyes, Sasuke made the appropriate hand signs for a counter.

_Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!_

_SPEEEEEEEWWWW!_

A humongous ball of fire ejected from Sasuke's mouth, colliding with the oncoming giant water shark, causing it to evaporate.

_All of those water techniques require great amounts of chakra. He'll run out soon, _he thought wearily.

_"Suiton Suigadan!"_

_"Suiton Suikoda no Jutsu!" _

_SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO!_

_ROOOAAAAR!_

Sasuke's eyes widened behind his mask. He could take on that water shark, but that other technique on the other hand, he could not risk getting hit by.

Sasuke dodged the first spiraling water bullet that was shooting in his direction at rapid speed by back flipping, but his feet did not even get to touch the ground before another spiraling water bullet from a different direction came shooting towards him. Still on his hands, Sasuke quickly bended his arms, tucked both legs in, and sprung himself into the air, over the spiraling water bullet that managed to graze his stomach. Sasuke winced in pain.

_ROOOAAAARRR!_

_Damn! I forgot about that thing! So that's his game. He's using those water bullets as a distraction so he could catch me off guard, _Sasuke mentally analyzed.

_Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!_

_SPEEEEEEEWWWW!_

Sasuke made sure this fireball was bigger than the last.

Immediately after it left his mouth, Sasuke teleported on top of tree branch, holding the left side of his stomach with his right hand, panting.

Even if that water bullet just grazed his stomach, it caused quite some damage. It felt as if the side of his stomach was shredded, and blood was constantly oozing out, seeping between his fingers.

Sasuke peeked from his hiding spot.

_I know for a fact that shark came from the right...but that other jutsu...I don't know. There's no way that guy could have executed those jutsus at the same time, and while managing to stay hidden using that other one jutsu. That's not possible, and those jutus DEFINITELY, most likely deducted his chakra even more. He's probably materialized by now, and there must be a clone somewhere, _Sasuke deliberated.

All was silent as of right now, excluding the sound of steam which was caused by his fireball jutsu striking the giant water shark. Sasuke was able to focus for only a few seconds before two spiraling water bullets came hurling in his direction.

Those seconds was all he needed to locate his targets.

He immediately snapped his head in front of him, and jumped to his left onto the next tree branch before the two spiraling water bullets smashed through the tree trunk Sasuke was peeking from before.

_CRACKLING! SWOOSH! BAM!_

From where the tree was smashed through at, there was nothing but ragged, tattered wood sticking out, and falling to the ground below. The complete upper portion, or "use to be" upper portion of the tree, was lain fallen on the ground. The once proud colossal, towering tree, was now half of its size. The only thing that managed to stay standing was the branch Sasuke was originally standing on.

_That was close_, thought Sasuke as he took multiple deep breaths.

_As expected, one figure is located on the right, and the other is located up above in the northwestern direction. Even though that one's farther away, I'll have to take him out first, clone, or no clone, before it makes more of those damn water bullets_, he contemplated agitatedly, _I_ _need to save up as much chakra as I can because more than likely I'll be using THAT move. In that case, two can play that game._

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke dashed forward toward the figure. He made the suitable hand signs for what he was going to do next.

_SSHHWOO!_

_Poof!_

_SSHHWOO!_

_Poof!_

_SSHHWOO!_

_Poof!_

Using the "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu", Sasuke used his numerous clones to divert the attention of the water bullets.

_There he is!_ Sasuke, unsheathed his Kusanagi sword from its hilt.

In those few seconds before the two water bullets came shooting in his direction into the tree from before, he saw that the target creating and controlling the water bullets was in a crouched position on a tree branch, hands in signal formation, and the _other _target, was hiding behind a large boulder on the ground.

Sasuke decided to send another clone up ahead of him.

* * *

_Crap, where is he?! _The man frantically wondered, _Ugh, I don't think I can keep this up much long-!_

"UH?!"

In the air coming towards him in a downward motion, was Sasuke, with both hands holding his Kusanagi positioned over his head, ready to slice at any given time.

"Shi-HUH?!" Said the man as he focused the attention of the spiraling water bullets towards the attacker in front of him, only for the him to disappear in a soft, _"POOF!"_

"_Behind you."_

"WHA-?"

_SLICE!_

_POOF! SPLASH!_

"So it was a water clone...Now, for the _real _one," said Sasuke icily.

* * *

"So I see...He managed to defeat my clone. That guy's resilient, I'll give him that. Now where did that ass head go? Hmph, doesn't he know who I am? I'm the renowned Masaru of Kirigakure," he muttered, "He better not get cocky all of sudden thinking he can defeat me. The poor fool's exahausted anyways. Poor thing."

"_You know, you're pettier and more brainless than you look," _said a voice from above him.

_-Gasp-_ "How...How did you-"

But Sasuke, who was casually sitting on top of the boulder, right leg raised up with his right arm resting on his knee, and with his left leg hanging, interrupted him.

He watched as the man backed away, "While you were over here talking to yourself like a buffoon, I was easily able to catch you slipping. If I wanted to, I could've killed you just now," he explained, "Too be honest, even a child could have snuck up on you since you're guard was lowered."

Masaru glowered at Sasuke, snarling as he continued to back away from him.

Although Sasuke wouldn't admit it, he was _tired_, and just wanted to rest. He was sick of this "hide-and-seek" game, and just wanted it all to end.

Sasuke jumped down from the boulder, smoothly landing standing up. He started walking towards the man in front of him, and unsheathed his sword once more using his right hand, and then swung it naturally to his left. Sasuke's steps were lazily made.

_Step...Step...Step...Step-_

_I need to get away from here-_

_Step...Step...Step...Step-_

_-AND FAST! I NEED TO REGROUP WITH THE OTHERS! I STILL HAVE CHAKRA LEFT! _The man thought fearfully.

Masaru held one hand out in front of him making a sign, and held the other one high up in the air with the same hand sign, a previous stance from before.

_Chidori Senbon!_

_SSSHHWWOO!_

"UGH!" Yelled the man as his stance was broken.

He started swaying, and then dropped to his knees.

He had difficulty lifting up his head, wincing as he did so. His body felt like it was going numb.

"Curse yo-you..." He managed to speak out.

Sasuke's Chidori Senbons had many effects. In this instance, the senbons hit Masaru's chakra points in his arms, blocking chakra flow, and also hit nerve points on the rest of his body.

As if reading his mind from before, Sasuke casually stated while continuing to walk towards him, "Don't bother. Your 'friends' are long gone by now. If you try to run away, that is, if you can, I'll always find a way to track you down."

_Wha-? THOSE INSOLENT FOOLS!_ CAN'T TRUST THEM WITH NOTHING! The man raged inside of his head, _This guy's on a completely different level! His aura yells "I'm a killing machine"!_

He tried to get up, _Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit,_ he cursed in his head.

He was struggling as he thrashed about. Still on his knees, his head and right shoulder slumped on the ground. Right cheek against the ground, he gritted his teeth then... smirked against his fallen strands of hair in front of his face.

"I know who you are..." He started off.

"_Sasuke Uchiha,"_ another voice finished off in the distance.

_POOF! SPLASH!_

Sasuke's eyes widened behind his mask, _That was a water clone too?!_ _HOW?! _He thought in shock.

_"Now that I think about it, I should have noticed it was you from the very beginning. I finally realized it just now, based on your choice of jutsus..." _The voice went on in a humored tone, _"An ex-rouge ninja on the hunt for current rouge ninjas? That's so ironic, it's hilarious!"_

Sasuke scowled in frustration as he looked up into the air in all directions, trying to find the source of the voice.

_"Suiton Suigadan!"_

_"Suiton Suikoda no Jutsu!" _

_NOT THIS AGAIN_, an impatient, irritated Sasuke thought.

He needed to end this fight _soon_ because his chakra was running low.

_Susanoo!_

_Crackling! BOOM!_

* * *

"WHA-?" The group of men yelled in alarm in unison.

They all stopped sprinting from tree to tree, and landed on different branches to get a feel as to what had happened.

Numerous of crows were flying away from the direction the men once came from, flying as if they were fleeing from something threatening.

"What was that?!" Said one voice.

"I don't know!" Said another.

"And I don't think we want to know," Shin added on, "Now let's HURRY before whatever that is, catches up to _US_!"

The men turned back forward, and continued to travel the path they were originally taking.

* * *

_SWISSSSSSSSSHHHHHH, CRACKLING!_

_Wha-what IS that?! Is that the famous "Susanoo" we've heard about?_ Thought the man in complete astonished, bewilderment, as he hid on top of a tree branch more than several feet away.

Surrounding Sasuke was an ominous, ghostly dark purple aura.

Sasuke was at least grateful he was still able to summon Susanoo, and especially without having any side effects along with it since he already acquired his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. So whether or not if is his eyes was sealed, he'll be able to still use his reliable Susanoo.

Sasuke himself was inside of a ribcage, unharmed, besides having the previous injury from before. The dark purple barrier was fractured in the middle.

_In that case, one more time! I only have enough chakra for this last technique!_ Masaru thought determinedly.

He dismissed his water clone from before, and prepared for his final attack.

_"Suiton Suigadan!"_

_SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO SSSHWOOO! _

Masaru was only capable of making 5 water bullets this time, which he hoped would be worth it. He leaned against the tree trunk, slumping with his head down.

_UGH! HERE THEY COME!_ Sasuke wearily thought.

He scanned his surroundings. Unlike last time, they weren't coming from all directions. Instead, they were coming from the northeastern direction this time.

_SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SHATTER!_

"GAH!" He shouted in pain.

The last spiraling water bullet managed to completely smash through the front barrier.

Just in the nick of a time, Sasuke cartwheeled to his left, but just as his left foot left the ground to join his right foot already in the air, the water bullet managed to make contact with his already injured left side once more, causing a deeper wound.

Sasuke cringed and gritted his teeth.

Before letting the attacker make any more of those _things_, Sasuke dashed in the direction of where they were all coming from, hand outstretched. A bigger, skeletal hand, with the same exact purplish aura from before, appeared wielding a giant, fiery sword that was also purple in color.

Getting closer to the man, Sasuke jumped forward into the air, and as the man raised up his head, eyes getting wide in disbelief at what was happening, Sasuke pierced him through the stomach.

Blood spurted out from his back, and the man coughed up crimson liquid.

Even in his state, sword still in stomach, and Sasuke now on the same branch with the skeletal arm holding the sword pierced through him, which he is now hanging from, above the ground, he still managed to speak.

"I'm...I'm...I'm KIRIGAKURES's MASARU!" The man roared out, coughing out blood in process.

"..._Not anymore,"_ Sasuke coldly stated as he motioned his hand up, and then down, causing the skeletal arm to imitate his exact movements, which ended up flinging the man on the edge of the sword, down to the ground below.

The man was laying with his back to the ground, hair messy, eyes closed, and had a bloodied face covering around his mouth area, dripping down his chin, and down both of the sides of his cheeks. His entire torso was pierced through, caused by the size of the sword. His shirt was completely soaked with blood. Both arms was lain on the ground about a foot away from his sides, and his legs were spread apart.

Sasuke looked down at the man, and scanned him to make sure he was r_eally _dead.

Satisfied, he then turned his back to the man, and began focusing on the other group of men that ran off.

Once more, he summoned the same hawk, and continued his pursuit.

* * *

"I don't get it," on man started, "Why do those old fools want this thing so badly?"

"_Because _Ken," Shin replied looking back at the barely visible man through the mist, as he continued to jump from tree branch to tree branch, "Obviously there's something extremely valuable _inside_!"

"Besides," Naoki inserted in, "They wouldn't have had us to go through so much trouble if it wasn't important!"

"I say we just take the damn thing for ourselves!" Said Ken, making a fist with his right hand as he was talking, other hand still keeping the chest in place on his left shoulder.

Shin and the other men remained silent.

"Say..." Shin began, now looking forward, "That's not a bad idea! We don't have to return to those punks, we can do what we want, AND we'll be filthy rich too!"

"But if we don't return," said Daichi who was in the very back before, and was now moving up forward as he started talking, "Wouldn't they just send reinforcements after us?"

"You make a point there," Shin responded, lost in thought.

"We'll just have to stay off of their radar, change our identities, and live in hiding. They'll just mark us off as 'killed in action'," Naoki intelligently replied.

"Hey, Naoki! What a brilliant idea! That's why I like you!" Cheerfully Shin said, giving him a thumbs up.

The men were ingrained in their thoughts for a while, all thinking of what they might do with their future wealth, but then Daichi broke the silence.

"Is it just me...or does it seem like we're going in circles?" He questioned.

"Are you questioning my sense of direction?!" Yelled Shin accusingly.

"No he's right," said Naoki pointing, "Look at our surroundings. Look at that creek! Doesn't that look familiar? That looks like the same exact creek we passed over."

Still jumping, Shin glanced at the scarcely visible creek Naoki was pointing at through the mist.

He finally gave his response, "We're in the Land of Water for crying out loud! Of course they'll be creeks! Tons of them! Now let's focus!"

The men didn't speak any further as they continued on their way.

* * *

Bolting through the air, the hawk was able to quickly catch up to the group of men.

The comas of Sasuke's Sharingan were twirling rapidly, and then gradually slowed down, stopping soon afterwards.

Sasuke gave a weary smirk.

"Let's go back!" He commanded the hawk.

The hawk made a clean turn, now flying back west again.

* * *

_...Something's not right_, pondered Shin, _This feels weird._

He turned his head back to look at the rest of the group.

They were eyeing their surroundings, some wore puzzled faces, and some wore facial expressions of unease.

_They must feel it too_, he thought.

* * *

Little did they know, the group of men were going back in the same directions they once came.

Sasuke commanded his summon to halt in midair high above, as he waited for the men to catch up.

_Almost there_, he thought eagerly.

More than several minutes went by before they were right below him.

_NOW!_

_KATON HOSENKA NO JUTSU!_

_SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH SSHHH!_

* * *

_Wait...What is thi-? _"HUH?!" Shin screamed in shock as he looked up into the sky.

"IT'S THE SAME AS BEFORE!" Yelled Ken a distance away from behind him.

"QUICK! KEEP RUNNING! AVOID THOSE THINGS! Commanded Shin.

"UWAAA!" Cried out a voice.

Shin stopped running to turn towards the voice that cried out in pain in the mist covered air, but then he continued to run the direction he was going when he saw a fireball coming his way.

What they didn't realize was that Sasuke's main target was the larger man carrying the chest. He controlled two of his fireballs towards the man. One was to startle him into dropping the chest, and the other one, to engulf him into flames afterwards. The rest of the fireballs were just used as a diversion. If the others got hit, it was because they were bad at avoiding things.

Sasuke didn't have his hawk tail the other men. Instead, he just waited.

* * *

_-Huff...huff...huff...huff-_

Shin panted, running out of breath.

When he was out of the vicinity of the plummeting fireballs, he stopped running and waited until the rest of the group members came stumbling out of the mist, one by one.

"Wait," he said, "Where's Ken?"

_Step...Step...Step_

"I don't even care anymore," said Naoki as he walked sluggishly forward, passing him.

_Step...Step-_

"I just want to slee-!"

_-Click. BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!_

A continuous explosion sounded off, one after another. It lasted for at least a minute.

Not a single person was spared.

* * *

Sasuke watched from above, as angry black smoke began to rise up in the direction of the explosions some distance away in front of him.

_"..._You _know _they're dead_." _Sasuke stated bluntly.

What those guys didn't realize was that they were actually in a genjutsu, and ended up running into their own traps that was set previously.

He then looked below him at the ground, eyeing the chest, with the previous carrier several feet away from it, sprawled out onto the floor, still in flames.

Sasuke dismissed his summoning which puffed into smoke in response.

Sasuke landed on the ground in a crouched position, wincing, and held his right hand to his left side.

_-Sigh-_ "She's not going to be happy," muttered Sasuke.

He stood up, hand still on his wound as he walked towards the chest.

Standing in front of it, he sensed three other presences.

"_Well done, Raion_," said a husky voice.

The man was wearing a mask with the features of that of a dragon. The mouth area had a huge smile painted on it, along with sharp teeth. He was a man of great height, and more muscular. His hair was a sandy brown, clipped up by a plain, brown hair accessory. He also was an older man, no more in his early 30's. He was their team captain.

"Yeah, well done, _Raion._ Did you have fun talking about the old times with your fellow rouge-nin buddies?" Said the same voice from before that was teasing him on the other side of the wireless radio.

This one's mask was that of a dog (which Sasuke thought fit him perfectly). He was medium built, and about a couple inches taller than him. His hair was a greenish moss color which was heavily shaved on both sides of his head, and the top of his head had the most hair (Sasuke thinks he looks like a squirrel). He was only a couple of years older than him, and he obviously liked this one the least.

"Stop messing around," a hard, feminine voice scolded.

The only female on the team was wearing a mask similar to that of a butterfly. She was fairly tall, almost reaching eye height if she was only just a few more centimeters taller. She had dark brown curly hair that reached just below her chin. She was no more in her late 20's.

Sasuke ignored the dog's comment, but not before giving him a sinister glare from behind his mask, Sharingan still activated.

Even though the harasser couldn't see Sasuke eyes from where he was standing, chills still ran up his spine.

"Ok," the team captain heaved the chest on to his right shoulder, "Chocho, Inu, lets return this thing," he said pointing at the chest with his left pointer finger, "And you Raion, report back to the village. Your job is well done here."

Sasuke watched as the three jumped off into the opposite direction.

When they were finally out of view, he gave a deep _long _sigh.

Sasuke wouldn't admit it out loud, but boy was he glad this mission was _finally _over, having him deal with such _ridiculousness_. All he wanted to do was get this wound of his healed, and go rest his body.

He turned around, and prepared for his journey home.

_Home..._He wandered once more.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Sakura will be in the next chapter :3

**Whatever animal an Anbu's mask is, that's what they're codename is.**


End file.
